The present invention relates to a health care solution to discover fundamental causes of regressive diseases due to lack of exercise and reasons why such fundamental causes are not overcome and to investigate a solution of such fundamental causes, and, more particularly, to a strengthening and rehabilitation exercise apparatus that is capable of effectively training a human body including a pelvis, a waist, an abdominal region, a back, and shoulders of the human body while reducing the number of exercise repetitions and exercise burden.
With the advancement of medical technology, infectious diseases have been cured, and the human life span has been increased. However, regressive diseases due to lack of exercise continue to grow rapidly, with the result that geriatric diseases are emerging as a serious social problem. Most of the regressive diseases due to lack of exercise are permanent and are accompanied by pain and a serious disorder. As normal human behavior becomes inconvenient and people become weak, immunity and resistance to diseases are deteriorated, and therefore, people are exposed to various kinds of diseases. As a result, enormous medical expenses are required, which becomes a burden on welfare finance and medical insurance finance. With the change in aspect of diseases, the number of pain patients seeing doctors is increasing rapidly. Approximately 90% of pain patients are women. This indicates that women are not overcoming diseases due to lack of exercise and have not found measures to deal with such diseases yet.
Generally, lumbago is a disease which people frequently experience. Men easily overcome lumbago. In a case in which men endure it, lumbago may naturally disappear. Also, men rarely have a surgical operation unless they have an accident. On the other hand, women suffer deep and continuous pain due to lumbago. In addition, women may have a surgical operation to remedy lumbago even after a long strengthening and rehabilitation. Osteoporosis intensively occurring at a waist and inguinal bones of people frequently appears in women. Also, fracture and necrosis of a hip joint, urinal incontinence, anal prolapse, and loss of sex drive are seen in women due to lack of exercise.
The reason why women are easily exposed to diseases due to lack of exercise unlike men is that women have a weak basic physical strength, and, in addition, they become weaker due to a life cycle including pregnancy, birth, and menopause and due to a long period of lack of exercise.
The above respect is supported by the fact that women in their seventies and eighties rarely exercise. Also, the fact that approximately 90% of the pain patients are women vividly shows that women do not overcome a physical disorder due to lack of exercise.
Therefore, women's diseases due to lack of exercise are more urgent than any other diseases, and women's diseases due to lack of exercise are a present problem which modern medical science must urgently solve.
Hereinafter, an interrelation between physical properties of women and diseases due to lack of exercise will be discussed.
Animals have developed strength and muscles and, in addition, are agile, without distinction between male and female. For a human being, on the other hand, men and women have different physical conditions for the following deep meanings. The placenta of a vertebrae is horizontally supported in a safe state, with the result that the vertebrae exhibits mobility even during pregnancy. On the other hand, the pelvis of a human being is configured in a straight shape in which a pelvic outlet is directed downward, and therefore, pregnancy is very unstable. As a result, women have undergone a tremendous change suitable for pregnancy, fetus protection, and birth. Also, the fact that women have weak muscles and strength but have soft and calm nature is understood as a result of evolution considering birthing.
As is generally known, pelvis muscles are coupled to the rectum, the diuretic organs, the genitals, and the reproductive organs to support the rectum, the diuretic organs, the genitals, and the reproductive organs. The pelvis muscles directly affect the urethra and the anal sphincter. For women, therefore, the pelvis inevitably needs to be exercised. Also, the pelvis is a base for leg exercise to strengthen legs. Therefore, pelvis weakness is a major cause of behavior inconvenience. As can be easily understood from the above description, muscles and ligaments of women's pelvis are soft and weak, and, in addition, the pelvis is weaker due to lack of exercise. Therefore, a problem due to lack of exercise is more serious.
Furthermore, the pelvis is a base of a human body to support weight of the human body. The pelvis is a central shaft of a straight framework of which the upper part supports an upper body of the human body and the lower part is connected to legs of the human body. Hip joints frequently suffer a fracture due to collision between an upper body load action and a reaction of the feet. In a word, the pelvis is configured in a structure in which the rectum, the diuretic organs, the genitals, and the reproductive organs are connected to the surrounding muscles such that the rectum, the diuretic organs, the genitals, and the reproductive organs can be supported. For whole and perfect preservation, therefore, exercise is inevitably required. Also, weak physical properties of women originate from the straight pelvis, and therefore, pelvic exercise is very important for women's health.
Hereinafter, an interrelation between lack of exercise and regressive diseases will be discussed with reference to actual cases and through historical analysis.
Since people do not pay deep attention to exercise on the grounds that lack of exercise is a problem which people must personally solve, there are some misunderstandings and many secrets. Exercise is said to be done. However, there is no detailed description as to which portion of a human body is to be exercised and how and why the human body is to be exercised, and there is no scientific support. Also, diseases caused due to lack of exercise have not been closely examined, and incorrect information on diseases caused due to lack of exercise is recognized as truth. An insistence that, since a result of examination reveals that life habits of old people are not different from those of young people, regressive diseases originate from genetics, not lack of exercise is an example of such incorrect information. Of course, all creatures have evolved for survival, and a human being has also evolved for upright walking. Therefore, it is insisted that a problem related to lack of exercise cannot be caused. However, this is a biological conclusion in all aspects.
Regression of a human being occurs due to dynamic reasons in which the human being stands up straight against gravity. Therefore, it is standard practice that this problem must be analyzed from ergonomic, mechanical and physical points of view.
Since a human being stands up straight against gravity, pressure is vertically applied to the waist and the pelvis of the human being. When ligaments, muscles, and disc tissues become loose and degenerate, therefore, the pelvis and the waist supporting the weight of the human being do not endure weight pressure in which the pelvis and the waist are pulled, rubbed, and pressed, with the result that the human being suffers pains in the pelvis and the waist, and the pelvis and the waist are injured. While the human being is put in plaster two or three months for bonesetting, bones and muscles atrophy. In like manner, the pelvis and the waist are a muscle framework which degenerates if the pelvis and the waist are not exercised. This is supported by a fact that osteoporosis intensively occurs at waist bones and leg bones of a hip joint of the human being.
Regressive diseases due to lack of exercise, such as lumbago, urinary incontinence, and osteoporosis, originate from weakness of the waist and the pelvis of the hip joint. Therefore, regressive diseases due to lack of exercise are a physical phenomenon occurring as a result of weak waist and pelvis not supporting body weight. This is a ground proving a fact that the upright structure of a human being is not biologically continued but is preserved by upright walking.
In Korea, for example, diseases due to lack of exercise, such as osteoporosis and urinary incontinence, were unfamiliar before the 1990s, prior to which people walked much more frequently; however, such diseases are very common these days in which people rarely walk. Therefore, it is an undeniable fact that approximately 90% of regressive diseases originate from lack of exercise, such as not walking.
In Korea, the same generation of people has experienced an age having no regressive diseases and an age having common regressive diseases, and therefore, it is possible to vividly know causes, progresses, and results of regression. Any scientific analysis or experimental research as to diseases due to lack of exercise cannot disclose facts revealed in Korea. Consequently, it is understood that Korean circumstances are a secure case from which it is possible to closely examine a problem related to regression due to lack of exercise.
Hereinafter, a problem related to regression of the waist and the pelvis will be discussed through dynamic analysis of an upright mechanism.
The upright structure of a human being is configured in a very unstable inverted triangular structure in which the heavy upper body is supported by the waist. In actuality, however, upright structure of a human being is a very stable mechanism. The waist supporting the upper body has a burden increased in proportion to the bending angle of the waist. When lifting a heavy load, the waist is more dangerous. However, psoas major muscles connected between the legs and the wait directly support the waist in front, and therefore, a critical situation is avoided. The psoas major muscles are leading muscles of a hip joint which disperse burden of the waist to the legs to achieve dynamic stability, support the upper body based on the legs and enable the lower body to move.
Also, the psoas major muscles are directly connected between leg bones and a waist bone, and therefore, it should be understood that the psoas major muscles are a sole root to strongly reinforce the waist joint through leg exercise. Unlike the arms and the legs, the body is maintained upright with little motion, and therefore, exercise of the psoas major muscles through leg activity is the core of waist preservation.
Unlike an erector spine muscle connected to the extreme tip of the lumbar vertebrae, the psoas major muscles are widely attached to opposite sides of the waist bone at the front of the waist bone and are directly connected to the leg bones. Consequently, the exercise effect of the psoas major muscles affected by leg exercise is direct and very great.
Exposure of a human being, who stands up straight, to regressive diseases due to lack of exercise originates from weakness of the psoas major muscles. As is proved by a fact that osteoporosis intensively occurring at the leg bones and the inguinal bones to which the psoas major muscles are connected, regression due to lack of exercise results in weakness of the pelvis and the waist due to lack of hip joint exercise.
Hereinafter, a function of the abdominal region as a mechanism to maintain an upright posture will be described.
The framework of a human being is configured to be bent frontward, and the operation of the arms is also performed in front. As a result, a load of the upper body leans frontward. When viewing the framework of the human being from the side, the spine is erected at the rear part of the framework, and the front part of the framework is empty. Therefore, it seems that the framework of the human being is very unstable. In actuality, however, the body is supported at front and rear although this is not visible. When lifting a heavy load or exerting oneself, even when getting angry or laughing, force is applied to the abdominal region. When the waist is at a critical moment, the critical moment may be avoided by the abdominal region supporting the waist.
Dynamically, application of force to the abdominal region when lifting a heavy load or exerting oneself is an evidence showing that the abdominal region is a base for physical activity. According to the third law, an exercise base represents a capacity to generate force, and therefore, the abdominal region represents a capacity of the body and physical strength. Also, since the abdominal region is a base of physical strength to maintain force, the abdominal region is related to endurance. The abdominal region, as illustrated by Leonardo da Vinci's sculptures and wall painting in Rome, symbolizes force and physical strength, which is also supported by the origin of words, such as courage, brave, and large-scale thinking.
Therefore, a well-developed abdominal muscle can sufficiently cover weakness of the waist and low physical strength. Also, the well-developed abdominal muscle can tightly pull even the flank. Therefore, the well-developed abdominal muscle is a major point of an S line. The abdominal muscle exhibits tolerance to diseases in addition to physical effects as described above, thereby functioning as a very important factor of health and high physical strength.
As previously described, it has been confirmed through the substantial experience, dynamic analysis, and the upright mechanism of the human body that more than 90% of regression causes originate from lack of exercise. As previously revealed, regressive changes occur at the pelvis and waist regions supporting the body weight due to comfortable lift habits. However, the waist, the abdominal region, and the pelvis, which support the upper body, have a large weight burden. Therefore, the waist, the abdominal region, and the pelvis need to be exercised but are not easily exercised. Since the waist, the abdominal region, and the pelvis have little exercise effect, it is difficult to produce good results in a short period of time. In addition, it is impossible for patients, women, and the old and the weak to exercise the waist, the abdominal region, and the pelvis. This is a reason for which regressive diseases become chronic and inveterate and frequently recur after the administration of medicine. The fat that pain patients whose behaviors are inconvenient due to geriatric diseases go on rapid growing every hospital and the fact that there are many medicines and medicine administration methods prove that there is no proper and precise method of treatment.
As a measure to partially solve the above problems and achieve a desired object, the inventor of the present application has proposed exercise apparatuses disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,498,222 and 6,537,185. The disclosed exercise apparatuses are advantageous in that the exercise apparatuses may have various shapes, and therefore, it is possible to move the upper body or the lower body about the waist, thereby training the waist. However, the disclosed exercise apparatuses are disadvantageous in that a large amount force is initially required to perform waist exercise, whereby it is difficult for women or the old and the weak capable of exerting relatively small force to use the exercise apparatuses, and, particularly, the exercise apparatuses are not suitable for strengthening and rehabilitation treatment. The pelvis, the waist, the back, and the shoulders have little exercise effect through ordinary exercise, and there are no methods suitable for women or the old and the weak.
Also, an exercise method of directly moving the waist, which is structurally very weak, may be carried out. In this method, however, weight exercise is not possible because the waist joint is the symmetrical middle between the upper body and the lower body, and therefore, one of the upper and lower bodies is strained when exercise resistance is applied to the other. Also, upper body muscles, such as the neck and the shoulders, are strained, although exercise without exercise equipment is performed, and therefore, it is difficult to continuously perform such exercise without exercise equipment.
Of course, waist joint exercise is an exercise for enhancing muscular strength between the pelvis and the spine, and therefore, it is possible to stabilize an exercise base through the fixation of the pelvis. The pelvis is merely ⅕ the length of the spine. For this reason, it is necessary to fix the pelvis using physical force equivalent to 5 times exercise torque, which is not substantially possible.
Furthermore, the front part of the pelvis is buried in the inguinal muscles in a sitting position, with the result that it is not possible to fix the pelvis. Also, the waist is configured in a weak structure having bone joints without a supporting framework. In addition, the waist is a very sensitive region through which leg nerves extend. If the pelvis is not securely fixed, the center of exercise is shifted from the waist to the hip joint, and, in addition, strong force is shifted from the waist to the hip joint. For this reason, the pelvis must be fixed during waist exercise.
In this aspect, the prior art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,112 relates to a method of fastening the knees and the inguinal regions on a seat board in a sitting position with the knees drawn high. In this method, the legs and the pelvis are tightly disposed between a footstool and a pelvis rest, whereby the physical fixing of the legs and the pelvis is achieved. During waist exercise, however, force is applied even to the footstool, and the front part of the pelvis is opened, with the result that the movement of the pelvis is caused.
That is, repulsive force is substantially applied to the footstool during waist exercise. As a result, this is not different from a method of lifting a load while stamping feet.
For this reason, the above conventional technology has been denounced in aspects of stability and efficiency in a muscular strength test and a strengthening and rehabilitation process. A value of muscular strength displayed on a display is not an inherent muscular strength of the waist but a value containing leg force. Also, errors may be caused during the execution of a back muscle test.
Also, the prior art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,143, which has been proposed by the inventor of the present application, adopts an optimal pad fixing method of pressing the inguinal regions and the pelvis using uniform pressure, thereby providing the effects of fixing the legs and the pelvis and somewhat eliminating pain occurring when fixing the legs and the pelvis. However, it is difficult to apply fixing pressure sufficient to fix the pelvis, with the result that the disclosed method is limited in selecting various exercise loads. Therefore, it is not easy for patients as well as the old and the weak to use this method. Also, it is difficult to select exercise loads suitable for individual users. In addition, it is not possible to solve a problem caused due to lack of body exercise although a problem related to the waist exercise is solved.